Masquerade
by bellatrixvssirius
Summary: He had never wanted to go to that stupid dance anyway. Until he saw her. Was once a Oneshot. Now, there is a second chapter, due to demand.
1. First kiss

He never had wanted to go to this dance. He didn't want to go to any masquerade ball. But he had been dragged along.

Now, here we was, in the midst of many people. Girls walked around, bright coloured silk dresses and even brighter masks, covering them.

All the boys were standing against one side, wearing suits, dress robes and simple masks.

A girl walked past him suddenly. She was wearing a sunny yellow dress that went to her knees, and she had a pair of matching go-go boots with them. A yellow mask covered her face too. Other girls walked past, one with a myriad of colours on her dress, the other with a dress, of three shades of blue.

He didn't recognize a soul.

McGonagall announced that everyone must dance, so immediately, he grabbed a girl near him.

She was wearing a tight fitting, pink, silk dress. It flowed down to her ankles and she had a pair of silver shoes on.

A pink mask, dotted with diamantes hung over her face.

'Would you care to dance with me?' he asked, taking her hand.

'Oh, yes thankyou, I would,' she replied in a soft voice.

He was wearing a plain black suit and a white mask with black rims around the eyes. He didn't like it much, but at least this beautiful girl wouldn't turn him down because he was Ron Weasley.

The pair stepped out onto the dancefloor, and they began to dance with the other couples. She was a wonderful dancer, and she moved in perfect harmony with the music.

He spun her around, and dipped her down, and she laughed breathlessly.

The song ended, but the magic didn't.

They continued to dance.

The night wore on, but they never left each other. Their hands firmly in the others and their eyes locked only on the other.

Ron picked her up, twirling her around, and she laughed.

The spun, and dipped, and stepped over and over again, and Ron knew he was falling in love with this unknown girl.

Nothing he did would get her to say her name. She spoke in unrecognisable soft tones, and her laughter was high and beautiful.

He didn't tell her his name either. He didn't want to lose her.

In the end, they just danced. They moved together, his hands moving down her back, to her waist, her hands making their way from his shoulders to his neck.

'Please tell me your name,' he whispered as they swayed to a slow song.

'No, I'm afraid you won't want anything to do with me after I do,'

'But if I don't know your name, how will I be able to see you after this dance?' he murmured in her ear.

'You really want to?' she said breathlessly, and when he nodded, she said, 'But that's because you can't see my face,'

'Please, just tell me what house you're in,'

She was silent for a while, before saying, 'I'm either a Ravenclaw, a Hufflepuff or a Gryffindor. I'm not Slytherin,'

'Good, at least I know your not one of them,'

'What about you? What house are you in?' she asked softly

'I'm not one of them either,' he replied.

She placed her head onto his shoulder, and they continued to sway.

'What year are you in?' he asked suddenly.

'Seventh,' she replied in the same hushed tones, 'You?'

'Seventh,'

Ron was silent before saying, 'Do you have a boyfriend?'

The beautiful girl was silent again, 'No, I don't,'

'Good, we can see each other after this, afterall, we seem to be having fun,'

'Yes, we do,'

Gently, Ron took her by the hand, and led her away from the dancefloor. He took her into the cold courtyard.

Then he leaned forward, and with closed eyes, he removed her mask and kissed her.

It was a beautiful kiss, full of love and longing. She put her arms around his neck, and kissed him back. He put a hand to her head and found himself running his fingers through beautiful curls.

When he pulled away, he didn't look at her straight away.

'What's your name?' he asked.

The girl was silent, and then, in choked tones, she whispered, 'Hermione,'

With that, she ran off, sobbing, into the dark night.

Ron stood alone in the courtyard, 'Hermione,' he whispered.


	2. Truths

A/N: Thankyou everyone for your reviews. For those who informed me that I would be writing a sequel… here you are. Enjoy.

Ron stood stock still. In his head he could still hear the girls heels clacking against the marble as she ran. He could still hear her cries into the night.

_Hermione. _

She was the girl. She was the one he had fallen in love with.

_Hermione._

He was still in a state of shock.

Suddenly, he came to life.

He followed her path, 'Hermione!' he yelled, running off the courtyard. He decided to try the dormitories first.

Running up the stairs, he burst past the Fat Lady.

'Hermione!' he yelled to the empty common room.

Nobody was there. Hermione wasn't there.

Ron tried to break into the girls room. But he kept getting pushed out. He would climb the stairs, before sliding down them once more. In his anger, he threw a glass bowl at the door, leaving it shattered on the floor.

The image of the bowl stayed with him. Everything was shattered. Hermione's heart. His heart. Their lives. Their friendship.

Tearing from the common room, he began to search the dark grounds.

'Hermione? Please!' he cried.

He yelled, and screamed, as he searched the greenhouses, the dungeons, all the courtyards. He blasted apart bushes, and kicked at the walls.

He let out one final cry.

'Hermione! Please come back!' he screamed, his throat raw, and scratchy. He reached the lake, and he collapsed in front of it, his head thumping and his heart full.

No matter how much he begged the sky, Hermione didn't come to him.

A few hours later, he was lying on the wet grass in gloomy confusion. He wished he could tell her how he felt.

A sudden rustle of material awoke his senses.

Ron sat up, feeling stiff and ill. He rubbed his eyes, and looked at the person sitting next to him.

Hermione was there, her skin pale, dark circles under her brown eyes. Her hair was falling loose, the pins slowly falling out. Her eyes were slightly puffy and a little bit blood shot. She was still in the perfect, silk pink dress, although it was crumpled and wrinkled. Her perfect, fairytale princess image was gone. The glowing aurora from happiness was absent. All that was left, was an empty, unhappy shell.

She hugged her knees to her chest.

They sat side by side in silence, looking at the sun reflecting and shining as it rose above the lake. He looked at Hermione and saw delicate tears coursing down her cheeks. To Ron they were perfect crystals that were tracing the lines of her face.  
Hermione just sat there, crying silently. His heart ached to think of the girl last night, whom he had loved. This girl in front of his was exactly the same. There wasn't a high or beautiful laugh any more. There weren't those sweet, hiccupy giggles.

Finally, Ron turned to Hermione. He lifted a hand to those high cheekbones. He gently took a finger, and traced the path of one of her tears. Then he caught the perfect droplet on his finger.

He then brought his hand back up to her face, and he placed the whole hand on the cheek.

'Are you ok?' he asked hoarsely.

Hermione didn't answer, but continued to look ahead at the lake.

'Hermione? Why did you run away?' he asked quietly.

Hermione cotnined to cry in silence. Then finally, she said, 'Ron. Don't be silly. You and I were having so much fun last night. We were enjoying ourselves, because you didn't know me. I recognised you immediately. How could I not know who you were?' she said sadly.

'But why was that a reason to run away from me?' he asked.

'Ron. Seriously. Who would want to admit they had fallen in love with the school bookworm. The ugliest girl in school,' she said bitterly, turning her face away from him. She pulled away from his touch.

Ron cupped her delicate chin with his hand. He gently pulled her face towards him. He looked directly into her red rimmed, brown eyes.

'I don't think you're ugly at all,' he said softly.

Hermione shook her head, 'You just say that Ron. You're just trying to cover what I know is the truth. Thankyou for last night. It meant the world to have someone dance with me,'

With that she began to stand up. Just as she turned to walk away, Ron reached out and caught her hand.

Hermione stopped, and her eyes widened. He dragged her gently back to the earth.

'Hermione. Listen to me. I don't think you're ugly. In fact, I think you are the most beautiful girl that any boy could get,'

Hermione was silent.

'If you want the truth, I had the most amazing time last night. Kissing you was magical,'

He took a deep breath, before taking the plunge, 'And if we're going on truths, I'll go the whole way. I've had a crush on you since I first laid eyes on you. I have loved you all through school. Honestly. I have, and I wished that you would understand that.'

Hermione sat silent for a few moments. Then she turned to him.

'Really?'

Ron nodded, 'Yes Hermione. Honestly. I do love you.'

Hermione blushed, and then said, 'You know something Ronald? I've had a crush on you since I was eleven too,'

Ron smiled, and then boldly, he drew her closer.

He brought his mouth up to hers and for the first time they kissed, seeing each other for who they truly were.

A/N: Done. Are we happy now? Not as good as the first chapter, I know… but still. There you go.


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